by Jon Walker

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

The Bible teaches that every Christian is:
Created for ministry (Ephesians 2:10)
Saved for ministry (2 Timothy 1:9)
Called into ministry (1 Peter 2:9-10)
Gifted for ministry (1 Peter 4:10)
Authorized for ministry (Matthew 28:18-20)
Commanded to minister (Matthew 20:26-28)
Prepared for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12)
Needed for ministry (1 Corinthians 12:27)
Accountable for and rewarded according to his or her ministry (Colossians 3:23-24)
This means ordinary people with children and jobs and mortgages and really, really full calendars — in other words, people just like you and me — are called to be ministers from God.

What does this mean?

God shaped you for ministry. The God of the universe shaped you uniquely to make a contribution in this world and the world to come.

God will support you in ministry. There is no way you can fail in your mission unless you fail to accept the calling of ministry that comes with being a Jesus-one.

God will answer your questions. Ask God how he wants you to contribute. Ask him how he wants to use the way he’s created you to uniquely serve him. Ask God, “What kind of God-legacy do you want me to leave?”

Thank God you are among “the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you” (1 Peter 2:9 MSG).